Prior to 2010 the county of Ceredigion (Cardiganshire) on the west coast of Wales had no known Roman villas. The remains of a small late Roman villa have now been confirmed by excavation at Abermagwr near Aberystwyth, demonstrating the establishment of at least one Romano-British farming estate far beyond the previously known limits of villa-building in Wales (Davies and Driver 2012). Whilst Abermagwr is presently the most north-westerly Roman villa in Wales, this is unlikely to reflect the real situation and research work by the co-directors of the Abermagwr Project, supported by the Royal Commission - Wales, continues on the local and regional landscape to identify further potential Romano-British farm or villa sites.

With the generous assistance of the Roman Research Trust, the directors of the Abermagwr Project, Dr J. L. Davies and Dr T. G. Driver, have been able to commission two radiocarbon (AMS) dates to learn more about the foundation date of the bivallate villa enclosure within which the winged building stands, and the date of a possible post-abandonment hearth constructed of fallen roofing slates.

See: Driver, T. G. and Davies, J. L., 2012, “Abermagwr Romano-British villa, Ceredigion, mid Wales: Interim report on its discovery and excavation”, Arch. Camb., 160 (2011), 39-49.
Further information, including plans and photographs of the Abermagwr Romano-British villa, can be seen on the Royal Commission’s online database www.coflein.gov.uk (go to Quick Search and enter ‘Abermagwr’), or directly via this link.